TREE ADVICE

[frank_f15]

i am joining the NATIONAL ARBOR DAY FOUNDATION, AND AM GETTING 10 FREE TREES, my options are 10 flowering trees, 2 dogwoods,2 crabapples,2goldenraintress,2 wahingto hawthorns,2 american rosebuds OR 10 oak trees, 2 red oak ,2 bur oak, 2 pin oak can't remembere the other 2. these will not be yard trees, i want to plant them along a woodline in an open field. i am leaning toward the oaks, as the are faster growing, and offer food to wildlife. which do u guys think will do best in the northeast?

 

[rancar]

Hi Frank,

Go with the oaks. I've tried planting many of the flowering tress that you list in upstate New York without much success. Unless these flowering trees can tolerate the cold temps of upstate New York, they are unlikely to survive. The oaks likely will if transplanted and cared for properly and protected from deer.

...Bob

 

[L3650]

Oaks and Hawthorn are both native species and each provide food for wildlife. Hawthorns are in the rose family and provide flowers in the spring. Watch for the thorns.

 

[OkeeDon]

Glad to see you joining what I think is a good organization. We've been members for many years. We've gotten trees a couple of times. I was disappointed when I got my first shipment; they looked like dead twigs. But, we followed the directions, and had several nice live oaks as a result -- not all of them were successful. We've moved from that house since, but I still see them as a I drive by. We just got another batch; frankly I forget what my wife ordered this time, I think Bald Cypress, but she's got them planted and is nursing them along to transplant to our acreage as soon as we get water. This time, I knew what to expect, and the trees (which still look like dead twigs when they arrive) were not a surprise.

Here's a link if anyone else is interested: National Arbor Foundation

 

[MossRoad]

The oaks will provide food in the form of acorns.... maybe in your lifetime /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif Just kidding. However, from what I've read, Oaks don't start producing acorns until they are at least 20 years old or older, depending on many factors like species, location, soil, climate, etc...
Oak Facts (depending who you believe /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif)

How to manage oak forests for acorm production.

The flowering trees will yeild food for wildlife faster than the oaks, if that is what you are after, especially on the edges of an existing forest. We planted a forest about 15 years ago. Around 2150 trees. The trees were planted in alternating rows of pine and mixed hardwoods with a border of flowering trees and shrubs. The pines are averaging about 30ft tall and so are the mixed hardwoods. There are at least 7 species of oak in there and we have yet to see an acorn on any of them. Lots of pine cones, however. The flowering trees, on the other hand, have produced fruits for wildlife since the second year. There are crabapples, olives, spice bushes, dogwoods, cherries, etc...

If you want quick results for wildlife food, go with flowering trees and shrubs. If you want long term habitat, go with the oaks. By planting a forest, we got the best of both worlds.

Regardless of what you end up planting, plant something. Trees are great yardsticks to measure time. I get a great feeling walking in our forest. I remember the day they were planted like it was yesterday. Old cornfield on poorly producing sand. Light rain in the early spring making the scrubby grasses soak your legs as you walked through them. Didn't look like much when that day was over, but now you can't believe how thick and healthy that little forest is. Good luck in you planting. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[JDgreen227]

Frank, I planted a number of trees obtained from the same source, both oaks and flowering trees, and the oaks did best. My soil is mainly clay so that may be a factor. We went on a tree planting spree about 11 years ago and I wish now I had planted more than we did, as it seems the ground where we live has become much harder to dig. It CAN'T possibly be that I am older and weaker, could it? /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[RobertN]

Is there an East Coast version of the Sunset Western Garden book? It is awesome! They break down the states into small zones based on soils, temperatures, rainfall ect. You find your zone, and then when you look at plants/trees you pick the ones that fit your zone. The book has a large digest of native and ornamental species with pictures and stuff to help you pick plants.

We are Sunset zone-7. We look for plants that fit this zone. Really helps to pick plants that will grow here.

Sunset is a West coast thing, but there must be a Eastern magazine and guide like this.

 

[BB_TX]

I have several red oaks in my yard. One fall bout 12 years ago, I collected some acorns and walked around the back of my lot dropping the acorns and stepping on them. The next spring I had several oak trees coming up. Unfortunately I forgot and mowed all but 3. Those 3 are now about 15' tall. Two started putting out acorns 2 years ago.
When my son built his new house 4 years ago, the builder planted a bur oak about 8 ft tall, don't know the age but it produces a small bucket full of acorns each fall. Of course a bucket full of bur oak acorns is not all that many since each one is about golf ball size. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif
They may be slower getting started up in the north country.

 

[frank_f15]

i am leaning towards the oaks for the free trees, but think i will buy some others also, might get some blue spruce. never had time to do this kind of stuff before as i was either working or just doing what needed to be done around the homestead. now that i am retired i have time to do these things, am looking forward to it and just hope i can see them grow some,

 

[k8ny]

Frank,
I also joined the NATIONAL ARBOR DAY FOUNDATION and it is a good organization. I think that any group whose aim is to add more oxygen filtering trees to the environment is a good one. Be advised that, as other posters have stated, the trees you receive from them are 10 little sticks, about 15 inches or less. It doesn't look like much but some of mine made it so take heart.
When I moved into our new home here about 16 years ago, we planted about 35 trees to add to the ones already existing. The 10 white pines we planted on either side of the driveway have really grown, be careful when planting pines that you take into account that they will also grow laterally so 20 foot spacing is a must. The pines are just over 30 feet now.
The pin oaks are about 25 feet each and our Norway maples about 20 feet. The dogwoods, ornamental pears and plum trees have also done remarkably well. For max shade we also planted some Sycamores. Wow do these things get large!!
Last year we added an additional 12 tress to the mix, should have done that years ago.
Moral of my last story, plant as many as you can as early as you can.
.